Arizona: Where the Pavement Literally Melts
Phoenix set a brutal record in July 2023 when temperatures soared to 119°F for 31 consecutive days, surpassing the previous record of 18 days set in 1974. The city’s emergency rooms saw a 25% spike in heat-related illnesses, with paramedics reporting burns from touching car door handles and sidewalks. Airport runways became so hot that several flights were grounded because planes couldn’t generate enough lift in the thin, superheated air. The Arizona Department of Health Services recorded over 400 heat-related deaths in Maricopa County alone during the summer of 2023, a staggering 50% increase from the previous year.
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